The invention provides a cover plate (10) of a socket outlet for providing electrical power to an electrical appliance. The cover plate comprises one or more holes (11,12) for receiving one or more POF cables (30). The hole has a diameter matching the diameter of the POF cable such that the POF cable is frictionally fixable in the hole when inserted into the hole. Furthermore an optical device is provided that is insertable into the socket outlet. The optical device can receive power from the socket outlet. The optical device comprises one or more holes aligned with the holes in the cover plate for making an optical data connection with the POF cables.
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1. A cover plate of a socket outlet for providing electrical power to an electrical appliance that comprises and optical guide for receiving and/or transmitting optical signals, the cover plate comprising:
a surface having a hole for receiving a plastic optical fiber cable from a back-side of the cover plate and pin holes for receiving pins of the electrical appliance from a front-side of the cover plate, wherein
the plastic optical fiber cable has a protection layer and a light conducting core, and
the hole has a diameter matching the diameter of the plastic optical fiber cable such that the plastic optical fiber cable is frictionally fixable in the hole by friction between an outer surface of the protection layer and a sidewall of the hole when the plastic optical fiber cable is inserted into the hole from the back-side of the cover plate such that, when the electrical appliance is plugged into the socket outlet, an open end of the plastic optical fiber cable and an open end of the optical guide are spatially separated yet are optically connected.
4. A socket system comprising:
a cover plate having:
a surface having a hole for receiving a plastic optical fiber cable from a back-side of the cover plate and pin holes for receiving pins of an electrical appliance from a front side of the cover plate, the electrical appliance comprising an optical guide for receiving and/or transmitting optical signals, wherein
the plastic optical fiber cable has a protection layer and a light conducting core, and
the hole has a diameter matching the diameter of the first plastic optical fiber cable such that the first plastic optical fiber cable is frictionally fixable in the hole by friction between an outer surface of the protection layer and a sidewall of the hole when the first plastic optical fiber cable is inserted into the hole from the back-side of the cover plate such that, when the optical device is plugged into the socket, an open end of the plastic optical cable and an open end of the optical guide are spatially separated yet are optically connected; and
a socket outlet for providing electrical power to an electrical appliance.
11. An in-house or in-building optical network, comprising:
a cover plate having:
a surface having a hole for receiving a plastic optical fiber cable from a back-side of the cover plate and pin holes for receiving pins of an electrical appliance from a front-side of the cover plate, wherein
the plastic optical fiber cable has a protection layer and a light conducting core, wherein
the hole has a diameter matching the diameter of the plastic optical fiber cable such that the plastic optical fiber cable is frictionally fixable in the hole by friction between an outer surface of the protection layer and a sidewall of the hole when the plastic optical fiber cable is inserted into the hole from the back-side of the cover plate; and
a socket outlet for providing electrical power to an electrical appliance; and
a plastic optical fiber cable installed along electrical wires connected to the socket outlet, wherein the plastic optical fiber cable is inserted into the hole from the side of the cover plate facing the socket outlet such that the plastic optical fiber cable is frictionally fixed in the hole and not protruding the hole at the side facing away from the socket outlet.
2. The cover plate according to
3. The cover plate according to
5. The socket system according to
an optical device for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal or processing the optical signal, the optical device being insertable into the socket outlet for receiving power from the socket outlet, wherein
the optical device comprises a hole for, when inserted into the socket outlet, retrieving and/or transmitting optical signals at the end to the plastic optical fiber cable in the hole of the cover plate, and wherein
the hole in the optical device aligns with the hole in the cover plate while having a space between the hole in the cover plate and the hole in the optical device when the optical device is inserted into the socket outlet, thereby enabling an optical circuit between the optical device and the plastic optical fiber cable in the socket outlet.
6. The optical device according to
7. The socket system according to
8. The socket system according to
9. The socket system according to
10. The socket system according to
12. The optical network according to
13. The optical network according to
the optical device comprises a hole for, when inserted into the socket outlet, retrieving and/or transmitting optical signals at the end to the plastic optical fiber cable in the hole of the cover plate, and wherein
the hole in the optical device aligns with the hole in the cover plate while having a space between the hole in the cover plate and the hole in the optical device when the optical device is inserted into the socket outlet, thereby enabling an optical circuit between the optical device and the plastic optical fiber cable in the socket outlet.
14. The optical network according to
15. The optical network according to
16. The optical network according to
17. The in-house or in-building optical network according to
18. The optical network according to
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This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/NL2015/050404 filed Jun. 4, 2015, entitled “SOLUTION FOR INSTALLING AN IN-HOUSE OR IN-BUILDING OPTICAL DATA NETWORK”, which claims priority to the Netherlands Application 2012956 filed Jun. 5, 2014, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The invention relates to in-house or in-building optical data networks. More specifically the invention relates to a cover plate of a socket outlet, a socket outlet for providing electrical power to an electrical appliance, an optical device for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal or processing the optical signal, and an in-house or in-building optical network.
High bandwidth in-house or in-building data networks may be achieved by installing Ethernet cables or optical fibers for transporting data.
Because of (safety) regulation and electro-magnetic interference Ethernet cables are not allowed to be installed along electrical wires, although the tubing of the electrical wires may have enough space for additional cables. Disadvantageously this means that separate tubing is to be installed for the Ethernet cables if such network were to be installed fixed and out-of-view. Furthermore, connecting an Ethernet cable to an Ethernet wall socket is difficult and time consuming as it requires special skills and equipment.
Optical fibers do not suffer from electro-magnetic interference and may be installed within the same tubing as the electrical wires. As with Ethernet cables, connecting an optical fiber to an optical wall socket is difficult as it requires special skills and equipment. Glass optical fibers are particularly difficult to install as they are difficult to cut and connect, and one has to be careful not to damage the end of the fiber.
Compared to wired data networks, wireless network alternatives are considered less favorable as wireless signals are more susceptible to interference from other signal sources and generally have a lower and less reliable bandwidth.
There is a need for a solution enabling installation of in-house or in-building high bandwidth data networks more easily.
A high bandwidth in-house or in-building network is achieved by installing plastic optical fibers (POF) for transporting data via optical signals, possibly co-located with electrical wiring sharing the same tubing. The optical signals transported via POF cables are insusceptible to interference by other signal sources, as is the case with e.g. a WiFi signal that may suffer interference from appliances or other WiFi signals transmitting on similar radio frequencies. Compared to glass optical fiber a POF is easier to handle, as it is more bendable without breaking and easier to cut without damaging the end of the cable at the cut. A downside of glass fiber cables has been that the installation thereof requires special skills and equipment for connecting the end of the fiber to the device where the optical signal is converted into an electrical signal (generally referred to as a “converter”). POF cables do not require such complicated connection to converters, but do require a fixed connection of the converter. The present invention provides a solution for easy and flexible installation of POF cables in combination with converters, without requiring special skills that allows quick and easy adding and removing converters to the termination points of a possibly large and prepared, passive POF network.
As mentioned, optical signals transported via POF cables are insusceptible to external interference. Moreover, the optical signals transported via POF cables do not suffer from general electro-magnetic interference from external signals or power lines. Because of this, it is allowed to install POF cables along electrical wires, such as power cables to socket outlets.
According to an aspect of the invention a cover plate of a socket outlet is proposed. The socket outlet is for providing electrical power to an electrical appliance. The cover plate comprises a hole for receiving a plastic optical fiber cable. The hole has at some point a diameter matching the diameter of the plastic optical fiber cable such that the plastic optical fiber cable is frictionally fixable in the hole when inserted into the hole.
The hole is to be understood as a hole completely through the cover plate from one side to the other side. There may be one, two or more holes depending on the number of POF cables installed at the socket outlet.
To install the POF cable at the socket outlet, the POF cable is inserted into the hole from the back side of the cover plate, i.e. from the side facing the socket outlet.
Advantageously, no special skills or equipment is needed for this.
Instead of a plastic optical fiber cable another optical fiber cable may be used having similar characteristics with respect to ease of cutting and bendability.
The cover plate may be fixed to the socket outlet or separable from the socket outlet.
An electrical appliance is any appliance that can be plugged into the socket outlet, either via a power plug and power cable or directly.
The cover plate comprises pin holes for receiving pins of the electrical appliance. In an embodiment the hole for receiving the POF cable is located in the same plane as the pin holes. This allows the POF cable to better fit the internals of the socket outlet and eases alignment of the hole with an optical device inserted into the socket outlet.
According to an aspect of the invention a socket outlet is proposed for providing electrical power to an electrical appliance. The socket outlet comprises the cover plate of any one of the above described embodiments.
Typically a socket outlet comprises two parts: an internal part and a cover plate. The internal part is typically installed in a wall or housing and the cover plate covers the internal part for safety (preventing touching electric parts) and aesthetic reasons. The socket outlet may be a wall socket, table mounted socket, part of a power strip, or used in any other configuration. The cover plate may be a fixed part of the socket outlet or separable from the socket outlet.
According to an aspect of the invention an optical device is proposed. The optical device is for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal and/or for processing the optical signal. The optical device is insertable into the socket outlet of any one of the above described embodiments. The optical device can receive power from the socket outlet when inserted into the socket outlet. The optical device comprises a hole for, when inserted into the socket outlet, retrieving and/or transmitting optical signals at the end to the plastic optical fiber cable in the hole of the cover plate. The hole in the optical device aligns with the hole in the cover plate when the optical device is inserted into the socket outlet. Thereby an optical circuit can be made between the optical device and the plastic optical fiber cable in the socket outlet.
Advantageously, to use optical signals transmitted via the POF cable, all one has to do is insert the optical device into the socket outlet. With the hole in the cover plate being aligned with the hole in the optical device, upon insertion of the optical device into the socket outlet an optical connection is established between the POF cable and the optical device allowing the optical device to receive and transmit optical signals.
Furthermore, the optical device can be powered by the socket outlet.
In an embodiment the optical device is one of: an Ethernet converter for converting an optical signal into an Ethernet signal and replicating the socket outlet; a WiFi converter for converting an optical signal into a WiFi signal and replicating the socket outlet; an Ethernet converter for converting an optical signal into an Ethernet signal without replicating the socket outlet; a WiFi converter for converting an optical signal into a WiFi signal without replicating the socket outlet; a motion detector for use in an alarm system; or a thermostat for use with a heating control system.
Thus, many appliances are possible. The invention is not limited to one of these embodiments; the optical device may be any other device insertable into the socket outlet and having a hole aligned with the hole in the cover plate of the socket outlet for creating an optical circuit.
According to an aspect of the invention an in-house or in-building optical network is proposed. The optical network comprises the socket outlet of any one of the above described embodiments. The optical network further comprises a plastic optical fiber cable installed along electrical wires connected to the socket outlet. The plastic optical fiber cable is inserted into the hole from the side of the cover plate facing the socket outlet such that the plastic optical fiber cable is frictionally fixed in the hole and not protruding the hole at the side facing away from the socket outlet.
One or more socket outlets may be part of the optical network. Thus an in-house or in-building optical network may be achieved without special skills or special equipment.
In an embodiment the plastic optical fiber cable and the electrical wires are at least partly installed in a single tubing. This allows the POF cable to be installed in the same tubing as the electric wires, thus there is no need for installing new tubing.
In an embodiment the optical network comprises the optical device of any one of the above described embodiments.
In an embodiment, when the optical device is inserted into the socket outlet there is a distance between the hole in the cover plate and the hole in the optical device while maintaining an optical circuit.
This allows the optical device not to be fully inserted into the socket outlet, irregularities on the surface of the cover plate or optical device causing the distance or small items, such as dirt or child safety inlays, in between the cover plate and optical device while maintaining the optical circuit.
In an embodiment the distance is less than 20 mm, ensuring that the optical circuit is maintained.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in further detail. It should be appreciated, however, that these embodiments may not be construed as limiting the scope of protection for the present invention.
Aspects of the invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to exemplary embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings, in which:
The cover plate 10 may have one hole if a single POF cable is used for data communication in two directions. In a preferred embodiment, such as shown in
The location of each hole 11,12 is arbitrary, but is chosen such that the POF cable, when inserted in the hole 11,12 is not in the way of the internals of the socket outlet and the power cables in the socket outlet. Preferably the holes 11,12 and the pin holes 13 are located in the same plane. Furthermore, the holes 11,12 are to be aligned with a device using the optical signals when such device is inserted into the socket outlet. An example of such device is shown in
Conversion of the optical signal to an electrical signal or processing of the optical signal may be performed within the device 20. Hereby the installation of the POF cable at the socket outlet becomes very easy, i.e. insertion of one end of a POF cable into the hole 11,12 is all there is to it. Furthermore, the device 20 is typically sold as a complete product, thus no knowledge of installing POF cables is needed when using the device 20.
Installing POF cables 30 along power cables to socket outlets enables an in-house or in-building optical network to be created. An example of an in-house optical network 1 connected to another network 70 is shown in
In the example of
A first optical device 201 may be used to convert the optical signals received via holes 11,12 and holes 211 and 221 into Ethernet signals when inserted into the socket outlet. The first optical device 201 may have an RJ45 socket for receiving an RJ45-based Ethernet cable 241 for connecting e.g. a computer device to the network. The first device 201 may receive power from the socket outlet via pins 231 when inserted into the socket outlet.
A second optical device 202 may be used to convert the optical signals received via holes 11,12 and holes 212 and 222 into WiFi signals when inserted into the socket outlet. The second optical device 202 may have an WiFi transceiver, indicated by 242, for wirelessly connecting e.g. a computer device to the network. The second device 202 may receive power from the socket outlet via pins 232 when inserted into the socket outlet.
In a similar way, other optical device configurations may convert the optical data into standardized or non-standardized data protocols, such as Z-wave, Bluetooth, DECT, VoIP, GSM (effectively making the optical device a Pico-cell), and etcetera.
The socket outlet where the POF cable 30 is to be installed is typically away from the hub 50. To enable the end-user to connect one end of the POF cable 30 to the correct hub socket 51 and the other end of the POF cable 30 into the correct hole 11,12, the hub 50 may be configured to emit signals from the hub socket 51 currently being installed. Effectively this results in light being emitted from the hub socket 51. Upon insertion of the POF cable 30 into the hub socket 51 the other end of the POF cable 30, i.e. at the end of the cover plate 10, starts emitting the light allowing the end-user to identify the correct POF cable to be inserted into one of the holes 11,12.
The optical device 20 may be any device utilizing the optical signals and possibly being powered by the socket outlet. Non-limiting examples hereof are shown in
Pals, Ludovicus Quirinus Maria
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